I know I still owe blog entries on the Idaho Overland trip. Technically I should finish that series first, but first…we keep adventuring and second, out of respect for the trip leader I need to provide ample time for them to post the trip report before we put ours out there. Finally, this was an opportunity to get a day in with my main squeeze, my adventure partner #1, my bride…
The plan was to take off before daylight and hit the Oregon Trail (main) trail around the Boise area at Bonneville Point and move east on the trail. Instead we hit it just east of Boise and followed it east of Mountain Home. The exit is around mile marker 71 at the old truck stop where you pick it up north of I-84.
So with dogs loaded, 5-gallons of water and fuel, a small repair kit, survival bag, and lunch we were on the road around 7:30 and on the trail after topping off with fuel at 8:00.
It was great seeing Melissa pull out her camera as we flushed all kinds of wildlife including owls, hawks, game birds, and rabbits. We even kicked up three peacocks and the first Pygmy Rabbit I have ever seen. There was also a heavy population of Bovine…and the cool part was working ranch hands working the cattle. This is all open range area so caution around cattle. If you hit one, you are liable.
I have tried to do this route in the spring and the roads are just a disaster. Our conditions included loose gravel and sand.
The route is well defined with several historical stops. I recommend researching the trail before driving it, you will get so much more out of the trip. Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides is a good read that outlines the struggle of the west around the life of Kit Carson who traveled the trail.
We took a detour up to the Danskin Lookout. This is a rugged climb up a narrow back country trail that offers few pullouts if you come up on a vehicle coming down the mountain as you are going up.
We have had tons of fires in the local area and so smoke and visibility have been a problem. Views were not what we expected, however the area was clearer than it was down in the Treasure Valley.
The last 3/4 of a mile are the most rugged and you have a 4×4 to get to the top. Once there it was a feeling of triumph. We hung out for a bit, let the pups play, and then headed back down to rejoin the Oregon Trail.
We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, and even though it was the first day we were below the triple digits, as the afternoon heated up we slipped out just east of Mountain Home and took I-84 back to the house.
Trips like this should really be done with extra fuel and water. The Scepter fuel canisters are perfect for trips like this. We have been extremely happy with them. Highly durable, light weight, resistant to stress from bloating, and easy to fill into and from. When you travel the back country you need to be prepared.
We have also been happy with the GoPro cameras we are using. Though we have had some difficulty keeping mounts in good repair, the cameras themselves are durable. Quick video of the trip.
Next week we will recon a little more of the trail as a prep to do the McGrudder the following week.
Adventure IQ 